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Road to the NWBT: Alec Cabacungan of the Chicago Skyhawks

02/02/2018, 10:30am CST

By Pasha Zolfaghari

Road to the NWBT Feature: 10 Weeks Out

It’s hard to find someone who has accomplished as much in sports media by the age of 15 as Alec Cabacungan of the Chicago Skyhawks. The Illinois native has his own YouTube page, Smart Alec on Sports, appeared on TNT with the NBA halftime crew and has interviewed multiple NFL prospects on behalf of Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago. Alec is a patient at Shriners to treat his Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which is a genetic disorder that is also known as "brittle bone disease."

But leading up to the National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament presented by ABC Medical, Alec will be putting his microphone aside as he prepares to compete for the Chicago Skyhawks Junior Division team. Alec has been to five national tournaments and will be competing in his sixth this year. “When I go, I primarily go as an athlete,” Cabacungan said, “To go out and get the job done.”

The Junior Varsity Chicago Skyhawks have a 2-3 record since December and will look to improve that record in the closing weeks leading up to the NWBT.

He does plan on speaking with media members while at the tournament, however, to try to get tips for his sports media career. You just need to speak with him for a short amount of time before you realize that Alec just wants to expand his knowledge on every aspect of the sport. And there is no better place to learn more about wheelchair basketball than the NWBT.

“The tournament is one of the best weeks of the year,” Alec explained. “You see some of the best players ever to play the game and learn from them. And you also get to compete to be one of the best teams in the nation.”

Alec’s competitive drive is what makes him so accessible to the athletes that he interviews. Even as he is currently recovering from a broken tibia, Alec pushes forward in his preparation for the 2018 NWBT. It’s also what makes the five-tournament veteran a valuable leader for his team. When asked to give any advice for first time players in the NWBT, Alec kept it simple.

“Just have fun.”

The 2018 NWBT presented by ABC Medical is the national championships for the Adult Division (I, II & III) and Junior Division (Prep & Varsity). The 2018 NWBT presented by ABC Medical is scheduled for April 12-15 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Please visit http://www.nwba.org/2018nwbt for more information and click here to purchase tickets.